About St. John the Baptist · Maria Stein, Ohio
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Maria Stein, Mercer County, Ohio, founded in 1837 by German-speaking settlers and ministers from nearby Minster. It is one of the historic 'Cross-Tipped Churches' of the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches, served for generations by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood (C.PP.S.), and is currently part of the Marion Catholic Community / Christ Our Light Family of Parishes within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. After a devastating fire on May 29, 2025 gutted the 1889 Romanesque Revival church during roof repairs, the parish is in an active recovery and rebuilding phase, with demolition of the unsafe remains in early 2026 and an architect selection underway.
- Established
- 1837
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist (Saan Jaan de Dopfer)
- Rector
- Rev. Kenneth Schnipke, C.PP.S.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a place in one of America's most storied Catholic landscapes — the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches — where generations of German Catholic immigrants have gathered to worship, raise families, and serve. As part of the Marion Catholic Community / Christ Our Light Family of Parishes, members share five nearby worship sites (St. John, Precious Blood, Nativity BVM, St. Rose, and St. Sebastian), faith-formation programs, RCIA, choirs, parish councils, Knights of St. John, Ladies Sodality, and ministries for all ages. Today the parish is also writing a new chapter: safeguarding sacred items from the 1889 church (tabernacle, stained glass, organ pipes, vestments) and working with an architecture firm to design a future church that 'honors the legacy of the past while providing a spiritual home for generations to come' — meaning parishioners joining now walk alongside a community in active rebuilding.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 pm at St. John
- Saturdays 9:30 am at the Shrine (Maria Stein Relic Shrine)
- Before each daily Mass
- Walk-ins welcome — a priest is always available
Adoration times
- Mondays after the 7:30 am Mass at St. Sebastian until 7:00 pm (cluster-wide)
- Adoration for Vocations periodically at the Maria Stein Relic Shrine and St. Charles Center (see bulletin)
History of St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist is one of the oldest parishes in the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches, founded by German Catholic settlers in 1837 in what is now Maria Stein, Ohio. The parish was served from the start by Precious Blood missionaries from Minster, and three generations of churches — a log chapel (1837), a brick church (1850), and the present Romanesque Revival brick church (1891) — have stood on essentially the same ground. The parish and rectory were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as part of the Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio multiple property submission.
- 1833 — Three German settler families, each headed by a man named John (Leistenschneider, Stelzer, Thomas), name the community St. John.
- 1836 — First Mass celebrated by Father Henry Damian Junker on June 24 at the Leistenschneider home (45 people present).
- 1837 — Father Bartels blesses the first log church on April 9.
- 1845 — Precious Blood Sisters begin teaching; Precious Blood Fathers assume care of the parish November 2.
- 1850 — Second (brick) church dedicated by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell on October 13.
- 1859 — Joseph Dwenger, son of the parish, ordained by Archbishop Purcell — later Bishop of Fort Wayne.
- 1861 — Father Bernard Austerman begins a 19-year pastorate.
- 1889 — Cornerstone of the present church blessed by Bishop Dwenger on May 5.
- 1891 — Third (present) church dedicated by Archbishop Elder on November 11.
- 1906 — Present rectory completed; Father Otto Missler moves in September 14.
- 1922 — Two-year high school established; teacher Frank Moorman hired.
- 1930 — Dedication of St. John's School Building (September 1).
- 1937 — Parish celebrates 100th anniversary of the first log church.
- 1955 — Schools become part of Marion Local School District.
- 1963 — Maria Stein Retreat House established.
- 1966 — First Parish Council chosen.
- 1970 — First Lay Communion Ministers appointed.
- 1979 — Church and rectory listed on the National Register of Historic Places (July 26).
- 1986 — 150th anniversary of the first Mass (June 22).
- 1995 — Parish purchases additional property west of the church for expanded parking.
- 2025 (May 29) — Fire guts the church during roof repairs; steeple falls, roof collapses.
- 2025 (Dec 29) — West wall collapses in high winds; structure declared unsafe.
- 2026 (Jan 2) — Controlled demolition begins; architect selection process for a future church is underway.
Architecture and Stained Glass
The 1889-1891 church is one of the largest and most architecturally significant of the Precious Blood-related churches in western Ohio, with brick walls trimmed in sandstone, a massive bell tower originally housing four tower clocks, a stone foundation, gabled asphalt roof, three entry doors at the base of the tower, and elaborate Romanesque Revival altars and reredos. Rounded lancet stained-glass windows illuminate the interior, with the sacristy windows being especially notable for their deep blue stained glass.
- Architect: Adolphus Druiding of Chicago (1838-1899), German-born
- Contractor: Anton DeCurtins of Carthagena (1829-1895)
- Brick count: 135,000; final cost approximately $40,135 (≈$1.5 million in 2022 dollars)
- Dimensions: about 140 feet long by 60 feet across the transept
- Three entry doors at base of bell tower; originally four tower clocks
- Sacristy windows: deep blue stained glass
- 1960s renovation removed tops of side pilasters, trim on rounded windows and tower, and border around upper exterior nave
- Rectory: DeCurtins Brothers design (1906), brick in stretcher bond on stone foundation, slate roof pierced by dormers
St. John Fire and Recovery (2025–2026)
On the afternoon of May 29, 2025, a fire during roof repair work gutted the 1889 church and toppled the steeple. Restorationists noted that 'more could be saved than meets the eye.' Items salvaged include the tabernacle, the Blessed Sacrament, vestments, sacred vessels, sacred art and furnishings, approximately 1,040 of 1,323 organ pipes (cleaned and in storage), stained-glass windows (being restored by Window Creations), the main entry doors/frames and stained-glass transoms, and the original 1849 and 1889 cornerstone markers. The west wall collapsed in high winds on December 29, 2025; because the bell tower threatened to fall onto State Route 119, controlled demolition of the unsafe structure began January 2, 2026, with extensive protection of the façade and decorative stonework during work. The St. John Building and Architect Committee is in the final stage of selecting an architecture firm to design the parish's future worship space, with stated priorities of 'continuity, remembrance, and hope.'
- Fire date: afternoon of May 29, 2025 (cause unclear; roof was being repaired after wind damage)
- Two hundred tons of debris removed from the site
- Salvaged sacred items: tabernacle, Blessed Sacrament, most vestments and sacred vessels
- Salvaged architectural elements: stained-glass windows, ~1,040 of 1,323 organ pipes, main front doors, frames, transom windows, 1849/1889 cornerstones
- West wall collapse: December 29, 2025 (high winds)
- Controlled demolition began: Friday, January 2, 2026 (Sunesis Environmental via FIRST ONSITE)
- Recovery team: St. John Building and Architect Committee (final stage of selecting architect)
- Warn parishioners: no fundraisers are parish-approved except those listed on marioncatholiccommunity.org (Feb 2026)
- Donations and questions: parish office, (419) 925-4775
Mass and Sacraments
Within the Marion Catholic Community cluster, St. John the Baptist hosts one Saturday Vigil Mass and one Sunday Mass each week, plus a Friday morning weekday Mass. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons at St. John and Saturday mornings at the Maria Stein Relic Shrine, and a priest is always available for walk-in confessions. Eucharistic Adoration is offered cluster-wide on Mondays after the 7:30 am Mass at St. Sebastian until 7:00 pm, and additional adoration is held at the Shrine and St. Charles Center for vocations.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 pm at St. John
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 am at St. John
- Weekday Mass: Friday 7:30 am at St. John
- Confessions: Saturday 4:00–4:45 pm at St. John; Saturday 9:30 am at the Shrine; before each daily Mass
- Adoration: Monday after 7:30 am Mass at St. Sebastian until 7:00 pm (cluster-wide); special vocations hours periodically at Shrine & St. Charles Center
- Baptism: Last Sunday of the month after Mass at St. John
- Weddings: Notify the pastor six months prior
- Weather cancellations: For Level 2 or 3 Snow Emergencies in Mercer County, weekend Masses are cancelled; communicated via social media, parish communication system, and local radio
Parish Staff and Pastoral Leadership
The Marion Catholic Community / Christ Our Light Family of Parishes is led by Fr. Kenneth 'Ken' Schnipke, C.PP.S., and is staffed by Precious Blood priests, deacons, and lay ministers. St. John the Baptist's local staff includes Business Manager Sue Roeckner, Coordinator of Religious Education Dana Kugel, and Music Director Brenda Barhorst, with Parish Council President Michelle Ashman and maintenance lead Tom Feltz.
- Pastor: Rev. Kenneth Schnipke, C.PP.S.
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Matthew Jozefiak, C.PP.S.; Fr. Mark Hoying, C.PP.S.; Fr. Vara Kumar Chowtapalli, C.PP.S.
- Sacramental Minister: Rev. Kenneth Alt, C.PP.S.
- Provincial Director: V. Rev. Jeffrey Kirch, C.PP.S.
- Deacons: Ken Wuebker, Roger Klosterman, Steve Broering, Brad Feltz, Greg Bornhorst
- Parish Administrator: Sharon Kremer
- Business Manager (cluster): Leslie Tyler
- Director of Liturgy and Worship (cluster): Nick Wilker
- Director of Communication (cluster): Sarah Mescher
- Adult Faith Formation (cluster): Carolyn Stucke
- St. John Parish Council President: Michelle Ashman
- St. John Business Manager: Sue Roeckner
- St. John Coordinator of Religious Education: Dana Kugel
- St. John Music Director: Brenda Barhorst
- St. John Maintenance: Tom Feltz
- Archbishop of Cincinnati: Most Reverend Robert G. Casey
Ministries and Faith Formation
Parish life at St. John centers on shared sacramental preparation, lifelong faith formation, and community service across the five-parish Christ Our Light cluster. K-12 faith formation (CCD), youth ministry (grades 7-12), RCIA, sacramental prep, music ministry, parish council, Ladies Sodality, Knights of St. John, and the St. John Building & Architect Committee all help shape parish life.
- RCIA: 7:30 pm Tuesdays in the St. John rectory basement
- CCD / Religious Education: Coordinator Dana Kugel
- Adult Faith Formation (cluster-wide): Carolyn Stucke
- Music Ministry: Director Brenda Barhorst
- Ladies Sodality (parish women's organization)
- Knights of St. John, St. Rochus Commandery 313 (founded 1897)
- Parish Council: President Michelle Ashman
- Communication team: Director Sarah Mescher
- St. John Building and Architect Committee (post-fire)
- Cluster youth ministry for grades 7-12
- Maintenance: Tom Feltz
Marion Catholic Community Cluster
St. John the Baptist is one of five parishes in the Marion Catholic Community, formally the Christ Our Light Family of Parishes, within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's St. Marys Deanery. The cluster shares priests, faith formation, youth ministry, communication, and administrative staff across Precious Blood (Chickasaw), Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Cassella), St. Rose, St. Sebastian (Sebastian), and St. John the Baptist — all in rural western Ohio. The Marion Catholic Community is participating in the Archdiocese's Beacons of Light pastoral planning process.
- Precious Blood — Chickasaw, OH
- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Cassella, OH
- St. Rose — St. Rose, OH
- St. Sebastian — Sebastian, OH
- St. John the Baptist — Maria Stein, OH
- Deanery: St. Marys Deanery, Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- Combined cluster: Christ Our Light Family of Parishes / NW8
- Beacons of Light pastoral planning — parish is one canonical community in the formation process
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are served by the Marion Catholic Community office at 7428 State Route 119 in Maria Stein (St. John the Baptist campus), open Monday-Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, closed Friday. The parish office is reachable at (419) 925-4775 and the rectory at (419) 925-2030. Until the church is rebuilt, visitors should contact the parish office before traveling to the historic church site; weekly Masses, confessions, faith formation, and all parish business continue on schedule.
- Parish office address: 7428 State Route 119, Maria Stein, OH 45860
- Parish phone: (419) 925-4775
- Rectory: (419) 925-2030
- Office hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30 am-4:30 pm; Friday closed
- Cluster website: www.marioncatholiccommunity.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/MarionCatholicCommunity/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Bartels of Minster1837
Blessed the first log church on April 9, 1837
- Father Henry Damian Junker (residing in Minster)1836
Celebrated the first Mass at St. John on June 24, 1836
- Father Andrew Kunklercirca 1850
Pastor during construction of the second (brick) church
- Father Bernard Austerman, C.PP.S.1861–1880
Began a 19-year pastorate
- Father Otto Missler, C.PP.S.1898–1932
34-year pastorate; moved into the new rectory September 14, 1906